Crystal River, Three Sisters Spring, Florida, USA Nov 8, 2023

Crystal River, Three Sisters Spring, Florida, USA

Manatees have a fascinating history that spans millions of years. They are closely related to elephants and can be traced back to the Eocene era (about 56 to 33.9 million years ago), making them one of the oldest mammals on Earth. These slow-moving herbivores have, over time, adapted to life in warm, coastal waters. Known for their friendly demeanour and unique whiskered faces, these sleepy creatures have always been welcoming towards humans. Sadly, they have been exposed to various threats, such as habitat loss and boat collisions, due to which raising awareness has become essential. So, if you visit Crystal River and come across a West Indian manatee, we encourage you to take a moment to appreciate them, but from a distance.

© Karine Aigner/Tandem Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Celebrating Guru Nanak Gurpurab
Nov 8, 2024Glacial rivers, Iceland

More Desktop Wallpapers:

For Mother’s Day, we salute these marsupial moms
A beach of many colours
Postcard from Italy
The gateway to jungle
Season of light in the City of Light
Aug 22, 2024Aerial view of Ocean City, Maryland, USA
The picturesque Mughal architecture
Standing on glass 900+ feet in the air
May 20, 2024World Bee Day
The ‘Old Bridge,’ reborn
Jun 5, 2024World Environment Day
May 26, 2024Methow Valley, North Cascades, Washington, USA
Nov 13, 2023Serra de Tramuntana, Balearic Islands, Majorca, Spain
Sep 1, 2024River Thames, London, England
Aug 27, 2025Ganesh Chaturthi
Oct 2, 2023Gandhi Jayanti
Where fire and water meet
When ice imitates art
The lungs of Earth
Sequoias of the sea
Feb 17, 2025Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Hide-and-go-seek world champion
Nov 9, 2024Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
Jun 13, 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Jul 3, 2024Meerkat family
Creating a better world
May 7, 2024A duckling swimming in a water meadow, Suffolk, England
Mar 18, 2025Red Rocks, Sedona, Arizona, United States
May 13, 2025Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile
Jul 13, 2024Fairy chimneys and cave dwellings in Cappadocia, Türkiye